Cheesy Skillet Cornbread

Cornbread packed with cheese, onions, whole corn, and flavored with bacon drippings. Cooked in a cast iron skillet.

Elise Bauer

Elise founded Simply Recipes in 2003 and led the site until 2019. She has an MA in Food Research from Stanford University.

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Elise Bauer
Elise Bauer
Cheesy Skillet Cornbread
Elise Bauer

This cornbread is packed with cheese, onions, and whole corn, and flavored with bacon drippings. Need I say more?

This recipe is inspired by a favorite of my friend Lynn from her The Southern Living Cookbook. Lynn likes to make hers with Shoepeg white corn. We used regular yellow corn and it turned out terrific. Perfect with chili.

The recipe calls for the cornbread to be baked in the oven in a cast iron skillet. We serve the cornbread at the table directly from the skillet, the benefit being that because the cast iron holds its heat so well, the corn bread stays warm throughout the entire meal.

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Cheesy Skillet Cornbread

Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 40 mins
Total Time 50 mins
Servings 8 servings

Make sure your baking powder is fresh. Baking powder over 6 months old tends to lose its leavening power.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup cornmeal
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup shredded medium or sharp cheddar cheese
  • 1/4 cup chopped onion
  • 1 cup milk
  • 3 tablespoons bacon drippings (warmed to liquid), plus 1 teaspoon to grease the pan
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 3/4 cup of cooked corn, either fresh, defrosted frozen corn, or drained from a can

Method

  1. Preheat pan in oven:

    Place a 9 or 10-inch cast iron pan in the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F.

  2. Make the batter:

    In a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, sugar, garlic powder, and salt. Add remaining ingredients, and stir until just combined.

  3. Grease hot pan, add batter:

    Carefully remove the hot pan from the oven (remember the handle is hot!). Place a teaspoon of bacon fat in the bottom of the hot pan and swirl it around until it is all melted and coating the bottom of the pan. Pour the batter from the mixing bowl into the pan. Remember to put a pot holder over the hot handle of the pan and return it to the oven.

  4. Bake:

    Bake at 350°F for 40 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and let the cornbread cool in the pan. Remember that the handle is hot and will stay hot for quite some time. I recommend rubbing an ice cube over the handle to cool it down, just to avoid someone burning their hand if they attempt to move the pan before it has cooled down enough.

Cheesy Skillet Cornbread
Elise Bauer